Casting machine



June 1931- L. G. STECKER CASTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l mvflvm June 9', 1931. s c 1,809,289

CASTING MACHINE FiledJuly 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 9, 1931. STECKER 1,809,289

CASTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 9,' 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOUIS G. STECKER, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA oAs'rme MACHINE Application filed July 10, 1929. Serial No. 377,174.

and. advantage, all as hereinafter described a movable mould section above said tank,

means for aligning said mould sections and said discharge nozzle, means for forcing the molten metal from said tank into said mould sections, means for moving said tank '20 to sever the spruesformed between said mould sections and said tank, means for opening. said moulds by moving said movable mould section away from said fixed mould section, the grid plate formedbetween said mould section being carried by said movable mould section, a swinging block, means for actuating said block into aligning position with respect to said movable mould section, means for transferring said grid plate from said movable mould section to said block, means for actuating said block away from said movable mould section, means carried by said block for r cutting the rough edges of said grid plate and means for actuating said cutter.

My invention further consists .of novel means for automatically actuating the parts and elements aforesaid in timed relation to eachother, whereby continuous and automatic operation is effected without requiring attention or manual manipulation on the part-of the operator. 3

My invention still further consists of various other novel features of construction and claimed.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have shown in the accompanying drawings one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same has been found in practiceto givesatisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists can be various arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings 2-, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of. a casting machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a plan view of the same.

Figure 2 represents, on a reduced scale, a section on-line 2-2 of Fig, 2 showing the die or-cutter forming part of my invention and seen in the leftvhand portions of Figures 1, 2 and 7 Figure 3 represents on an enlarged scale. a sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 represents on an enlarged scale a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 represents on an enlarged scale a section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 represents on an enlarged scale a section on line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 represents on an enlarged scale a section on line 77 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 represents on an enlarged scale a plan view of the finished product.

Referring to the drawings, .in which like reference characters indicate like parts, 1 designates a casting machine embodying my invention, and carried by a suitable housing or frame composed of the members 2, 3, 4 and 5. -6 designates a pair of outer tanks or reservoirs. adapted to ,contain a supply of molten metal and-communicating with the centrally disposed tank 7 by means of the pipes 8. The pipes 8 are controlled by the vertically disposed valves 9,,which are operated by the float rod 10 of the float 10* to regulate the fiow of the molten metal from the tanks 6 to the tank 7, said float rod 10 being operatively; connected to the valves 9 by means of any suitable link or lever connections 11.

The tank 7 is provided with the vertically disposed discharge nozzle oi' outlet 12, through which the molten metal 13 is adapted to be forced by the action of the plunger or piston 14, which reciprocates within the horizontal cylinder or piston chamber 15 formed within said tank. The piston 14 is reciprocated by the lever 16 fulcrumed at 17 and pivotally connected at its lower end to the piston rod 16 and at its upper end to the arm 18 which terminates in the pendant arm 20 which engages and is actuated by the cam 22 fast on the shaft 24. The piston chamber 15 is provided with the port or'inlet 25 for the admission of the molten metal 13 in the tank 7 when the piston 14 is withdrawn to the right of the position seen in Figure 3 by means of the spring 19 which is connected to the arm 18 and the tank 7 and which urges the arm 18 towards said tank to actuate the'lever 16 and piston rod 16 as will be best understood from Figure 3. The tank 7 is pivotally. connected to the arms 25, which terminate in the yokes 26 which straddle the cams 27 fast on the shaft 24, whereby said tank may be moved back and forth in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The tank 7 travels on the rollers 28 which normally ride .on'tracks formed in the horizontal frame members 3 and which are adapted to ride over the cam heads 29 which are pressed upwardly by the springs 30 positioned in pockets in the frame members 3, to clamp the tank 7 into the position-shown in Fig. 3. 31 designates a stationary mould section, carried by or secured to the upright frame member 5, and provided with the water jacket 32. 34 designates a movable mould section provided with the water jacket 35 and secured to or carried by the swinging member 36, hinged at 37 and pivoted at- 38, to the links or arms 39 adjustably connected to the arms 40, which are pivoted at v41 to the levers 42 fulcrumed on the shaft 43 and carrying the yokes 45 having the spring tensloned, adjustable buffers 46, which bear against the cams 47 fast on the shaft 24 as best seen in Figure 5 to actuate the levers 42 and arms 40 and 39 in the direction of the arrow 50 to raise the swinging member 36 and the movable mould section 34 from the vertical position shown in full line in Figures 1 and 3 to the horizontal position seen in dotted lines in Figure 1. Within the swinging member 36 are positioned the plates 51 and 52 secured together by the screws 53. Through the plate 52 pl'OJGCt the dowel pins 54, which are adapted to carry the grid plate 55 formed between the mould sections 34 and 31 and best seen in .Figures 6 and 8.

The shaft 24 carries the cams 56 over which ride the uprights 57 the upper ends of which engage the rear ends of the levers 58 fulcrumed at 60 and carrying at their front ends the knocker rollers 62, whichare adapted to impact against the plate 51 to release the grid plate 55 carried by the dowel pins 54, when the movable mould 34 has beenactuated into its horizontal upper position seen dotted in Figure. 1.

A swinging block is pivoted at 66 and is connected to the links 67which are pivoted at 68 to bell cranks composed of the arms 69 which are fulcrumed on the shaft 43, and the members 71 which carry the rollers 72 which ride on the cams 73 fast on the shaft 24 to raise the block 65 from the horizontal position shown in full lines to the vertical position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, 75 designates a cutter or die best seen in Figures 2 and 2 and carried by the plate 76. The die 75 is constantly spaced from the block 65 by the sprin 78 on the rods or bolts 79. The plate 6 is provided with the end pins 81,- which. are adapted to seat in the recesses 82 of the levers 84 which are guided in the tracks 83, carried by the frame members 2, and which carry the yokes 85 which straddle the cams 86 fast on the shaft 87. The shaft 87 is revolved by the gear 88 which meshes with the gear 89 fast on the shaft 24 which is means.

In Figure 6 I have shown the grid plate 55, as initially cast or formed between the mould sections 31 and 34, and which is secured to and carried by the movable mould section 34 (when the latter is in the horizontal osition shown in dotted lines in Figure 1) ythe ends of the dowel pins 54 carried by the mould section 34, The swinging block 65 is also provided with the pins or lugs 91 which engage the apertures 91 formed in the ears 92 of the grid 55 by. the dowel pins 54 to hold the grid 55 on the block 65 during the latters travel from the vertical position shown in dotted lines to the horizontal position shown in full lines in Figure 1. The grid 55 is suspended from the pins 91 on theblock 65 while the cutter or die 75 is advanced towards it by the levers 84, yokes and cams 86, to trim the rough edges 93 of said grid, to produce the finished product illustrated in Figure 8. 96 desig nates a plate suitably secured to the tank 7 and having the ports 95 registering with the discharge outlet 12 of said tank, said plate being adapted to contact with the underside dotted lines in Figure 1.

of the mould sections 31 and 34 when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3 to form a continuous sealed connection from said tank to said mould sections for the passage of the molten metal 13 in the manner heretofore described.

The operation is as follows Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 3, the piston 14 is in advanced position, and a predetermined quantity of molten metal 13 has been forced upwardly through the passage 12 and the ports 95 in the plate 96 into the space between mould sections 31 and 34. The revolution of the shaft 24 now withdraws the tank 7, by means of the arms 25, the yokes 26, and the cams 27 so that the tank 7 and plate 96 are withdrawn from alignment with the mould sections 31 and 34, to break. the sprues cams 73 (on the shaft 24) into the vertical position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

'In this position, the rollers 62, impact upon the plate 51 carrying the dowel pins 54, which carry the grid 55 to dislocate the latter and drop'it onto the block 65, where the apertures 91 in ears 92 of the grid 55 are engaged by the pins or lugs 91. The rollers 62, are actuated by levers 58, fulcrumed at 60, and engaged at their rear ends by the arms 57 which ride on the cams 56 fast on the shaft 24. The swinging block is then lowered into the horizontal position shown in full lines in Figure 1, by a further revolution of the shaft 24, and in this position, the cutter or die 75, normally spaced from said block by the springs 78 is drawn towards the grid 55, on the block 65, by means of the arms 84, yokes 85, cams 86 and shaft 87, which is driven by the gears 88 and 89 from i the shaft 24. The cutter now trims the rough edges 93 of the grid 55, seen in Figure 6, to produce the finished grid shown in Figure 8, and the cycle of operations begins over again. The float 10 serves to maintain the tank 7 supplied with molten metal from the main tanks or reservoirs 6 as is evident.

When the tank 7 is advanced by the arms 25,- yokes 26 and cams 27 to bring the discharge outlet 12 thereof and the ports 95 of the plate 96 into aligmnent with the bottom inlet of the mould sections 31 and 34, the rollers 28 carrying the tank 7 ride over the cam heads 29 thus elevating said tank and tightly clamping the apertured plate 96 against the underside of said mould sections to form a sealand to prevent splashing or leakage of the molten metal being forced through the discharge nozzle 12 into the space between the mould sections 31 and 34 by the piston 14 and its adjuncts. The operation of the entire machine is effected by revolving the main shaft 24, which carries the cams 22, 27, 47 and 73 and which drives the shaft 87 which carries the cam 86, to actuate the various elements in timed relation to each other automatically and in the order above set forth.

The plate 96 is detachably secured to the tank 7 so that any plate 96 having apertures 95 of any desired arrangement or contour, to conform to the particular mould sections 31 and 34, may be employed, thus rendering my novel casting machine well adapted for cast ing various kinds of grid plates or other objects with a minimum of alteration or adjustment.

It is to be noted that while I have illustrated the use of a swinging block 65, and

its adjuncts which serve as a punch press to trim the edges of the grid plate 55, it is within the scope of my invention to omit the block 65, and its adjuncts, and to use an independently operated punch press or trimmer, to which the grid plates 55 to be trimmed are carried b an endless conveyor which receives the grld plates 55 from the movable mould section 34 when the latter is section, means for injecting molten metal from said tank into said mould sections to form a grid, means for actuating said movable mould section away from said stationary mould section, the grid thus formed being carried by said movable mould section,means for dislodging said grid from said movable mould section when the latter is in its upper horizontal position, means for receiving the dislodged grid, and means for trimming the edges of said grid, all of said means being automatically and synchronously operated.

2. In a device of the character stated, a support, a molten metal tank carried thereby, a vertical stationary mould section above said tank, a movable mould section adapted to coact with said stationary mould section, means for injecting molten metal from said tank into said mould sections to form a grid, means for actuating said movable mould sec tion into an upper horizontal position away from said stationary mould section, the grid thus formed being carried by said movable mould section, means for dislodging said grid from said movable mould section when the latter is in its upper horizontal position .andmeans for receiving and trim- 'ming the dislodged grid, all of said means being operated automatically and in timed relation to each other.

3. In a device of the character stated, a support, a tank carried thereby, having .a discharge outlet and adapted to contain molten metal, a vertical stationary; mould section above said tank, a movable mould section hinged to said stationary mould section, means for closing said moulds, means for bringingthe discharge outlet of said tank into alignment with said mould sections to form a grid, means on said movable section for engaging said grid, means for elevating said movable section into an upper, horizontal, inverted position, a block pivoted below said mould sections, means for raising'said block into horizontal juxtaposition with and below said movable mould section, means for transferring the grid carried by said movable section onto said block, means for lowering said block into a horizontal position, acutter carried by said block, and means for operating said cutter to trim the edges of said grid.

LOUIS G. STECKER.

2o tions, means for forcing molten metal from said tank, through said discharge outlet, into said mould sections to form a grid, means for moving said tank out of alignment with said mould sections, means for opening said movable mould section into an upper horizontal position away from said stationary mould section, a swinging block, a cutter carried thereby, means normally to maintain said cutter inoperative, means for actuating go said block into a vertical position in alignment with said movable mould section when the latter is in its upper horizontal position, means for transferring said grid from said. movable section onto said block, means for swinging said block into a horizontal position, and means for-actuating said cutter to trim said grid.

4. In a device of the character stated, a support, a molten metal tank carried thereby, a vertical stationary, mould section above said tank, a movable mould section adapted to coact with said stationary mould section, adjustable tension devices adapted to clamp said tank upwardly against the bottom of said mould sections, means for injecting molten metal from said tank into said mould sections to form a grid, means for actuatin said movable mould section awayfrom said stationary mould section, the grid thus formed being carried by said movable mould section, means for dislodging said grid from said movable mould section when the latter is in its upper horizontal position, means for receiving the dislodged gri'd,'and means for trimming the edges of said grid, all of said means being automatically and synchronously operated.

5. In a .casting -machine for producing grid plates, a mould consisting of a vertical stationary section and a movable section hinged at a point above said stationary section, means for actuating said movable section into. vertical operative juxtaposition with respect to said stationary section, means for forcing molten metal between said sec- 

